Container for bedside thermometer



Dec. 9, 1969 M. H. SMALL 3,482,677

CONTAINER FOR BEDSIDE THERMOMETER Filed April 26, 1968 2. VIA/IIII/II/I/lf/IWI/I a Ti fi.E.

INVENTOR. M44 77 5M4 v BY United States Patent 3 482 677 CONTAINER FOR BEDlDE THERMOMETER Martin H. Small, Suifern, N.Y., assignor to IpcoHospital Supply Corp., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledApr. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 724,452 Int. Cl. B65d 85/20, 85/30, 81/22 U.S.Cl. 206-16.6 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relatesto a container for an individual beside thermometer and particularly toa container suitable for use in hospitals where each patient must havehis own thermometer easily available for use.

A container for individual thermometers according to the presentinvention comprises a hollow tube with a closure member that closes anend and provides support for the tube to rest vertically on a besidetable or the like. Within the tube is a quantity of antiseptic fluid anda pad of resilient material that retains its resiliency even whensaturated with an antiseptic fluid. A false, or inner, cap is insertedin the other, or open, end of the tube, and has a aperture large enoughto permit a thermometer to be easily inserted therein. An outer cap fitsover the open end of the tube and has a relieved, or raised, centralportion into which the upper end of the thermometer extends to provideproper support of the thermometer. The total distance from the innersurface of the raised portion to the upper surface of the foam materialis slightly less than the length of the thermometer so that as the outercap is placed fully into engagement with the tube, it forces the tip ofthe thermometer to press into the foam material so as to hold thethermometer in place thereby. Ridges on the outer surface of the innercap and the open end of the tube provide increased frictional engagementinsuring fluid-tight closure of the container and safe support of thethermometer.

The invention will be described in greater detail in the followingspecification together truth the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed accordingly tothe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 2 along theline 22; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the container of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The container of FIG. 1 comprises a hollow plastic tube 11 closed by itslower end by a closure member 12 having a radially outwardly extendingflange 13 to provide a sufliciently broad base to support the tube 11 inan upright position. The plastic material of which the tube 11 is madeis firm and somewhat resilient but preferably not rigid. A cap 14, alsoof resilient plastic material and having a raised central portion 16,closes the other end of the tube 11. An identification tag 17 may beplaced over the tube 11 to provide a convenient place for memorandaconcerning the patient.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower end of the tube 11 is covered bythe closure member, which, in addition to the flange 13, has a short,upwardly extending ridge 18 that engages the lower end of the tube 11and is mechanically joined thereto by a suitable adhesive that alsoforms a fluid-tight seal between the closure member 12 and tube 11.Within the lower end of the tube 11 is a cushion of foam plasticmaterial 19 that extends upwardly a short distance from the innersurface of the closure 12 and above the plastic material 19 is aquantity of antiseptic fluid 21. Preferably the antiseptic fluid 21 alsosaturates the foam material 19, but the latter has the characteristic ofretaining its resiliency even when so saturated.

At the upper end of the tube 11 the tube 11 has a reduced diametersection 22, and the cap 14 has a downwardly extending rim 23 thatfrictionally engages the reduced diameter portion 22. Near the extremeupper end of the reduced portion 22 is a radially outwardly extendingbulge 24 that further increases frictional engagement between the lowersurface of the rim 23 and the tube 11. The central portion 16 of the cap14 is raised to provide a handle by which the cap may be grasped tofacilitate its removal from the tube 11. The raised portion 16 is hollowto receive the uppermost part of a thermometer 26.

The total length of the thermometer 26, including its sensitive tip 27,is such that when the cap 14 is fully placed on to the upper end of thetube 11, the inner surface of the raised portion 16 presses against theupper end of the thermometer 26 and causes the tip 27 to press into thefoam material 19, thereby limiting any free motion of the thermometer inany direction.

In order to facilitate insertion of the foam material 19 in the firstplace and subsequent insertion of the antiseptic fluid 27 it isdesirable to have the upper end of the tube 11 completely open, and, infact, the inner wall of the tube 11 is a smooth cylindrical surfacehaving the same diameter all the way down. However, to allow it toremain open except when covered by by cap 14 would increase the dangerof spilling the fluid 19 when the cap 14 was removed. Therefore, thecontainer includes an inner cap 28 having a substantially flat radialportion 29 with a rim 31 that extends outwardly to a diameter preferablyjust slightly less than the outer diameter of the porftion 22 of thetube 11, and slightly less than the inner diameter of the rim 23 of thecap 14. The reason for this limitation on the diameter of the radialpart 29 is to prevent any frictional engagement with the inner surfaceof the rim 23 so as to prevent the inner cap 29 from being withdrawnwhen the outer cap 14 is removed. Having a seperate inner cap makes iteasy to fill the tube with the fluid 21, before the inner cap isattached. The lower surface of the rim 31 may be provided with a smallnotch 30 to facilitate removal of the cap 28 to add more fluid 21 later,if necessary.

The inner cap 28 has a first cylindrical portion 32 that extendsdownwardly into frictional engagement with the inner surface of theupper portion 22 of the tube 11 to hod the cap 28 in place and a secondcylindrical portion 33 that extends even farther into the tube 11 andserves as a guide to facilitate insertion of the cap 28 into the openend of the tube 11. In the center of the radial portion 29 of the cap isan aperture 34 which is large enough to permit the thermometer 26 to beinserted and withdrawn easily but yet is small enough to restrict lossof fluid 21 if the container is inadvertently tipped over when thethermometer is withdrawn. The inner perimeter of the aperture 34 servesas a further limiting structure to prevent movement of the thermometerwhen it is within the container.

While this invention has been described in terms of a specificembodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the true scopeof the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A personal bedside container for a thermometer having a bulb end anda predetermined overall length and a predetermined cross-section, saidcontainer comprising:

(a) an elongated fluid-tight resilient plastic tube closed at one end;

(b) a radially outwardly extending flange at the closed end to form asupport to hold the tube upright;

(c) a resilient, plastic, outer cap having a downwardly extending rimhaving a generally cylindrical inner surface fitting snugly over theopen end of said tube and frictionally engaging said open end, said capcomprising a hollow raised central portion;

(d) a piece of resilient foam material filling the end of said tubeadjacent said closed end;

(e) a separate inner cap having a downwardly extending generallycylindrical outer surface portion fitting into said open end of saidtube and frictionally engaging said tube to force said open end of saidtube outwardly to increase the frictional engagement between said outercap and said open end, said inner cap having a central aperture topermit said thermometer to be inserted through said aperture and againstsaid foam material, the height of the inner surface of said hollowraised central portion of said cap and the length of said tube being sorelated to the length of said thermometer that when said outer cap is inplace on the said tube the inner surface of said raised central portionpresses said thermometer into said foam material to prevent freemovement of said thermometer; and

(f) a quantity of antiseptic fluid in said tube, said foam materialbeing resilient when saturated with said fluid.

2. The container of claim 1 in which:

said outer surface of said tube adjacent to said open end thereof has aradially outwardly extending bulge to engage said inner cylindricalsurface of said outer cap.

3. The container of claim 1 in which:

said inner cap comprises a substantially radial portion containing saidcentral aperture, and said downwardly extending rim comprises a firstgenerally cylinderical portion extending from said radial portion andsecond generally cylindrical portion and having a smaller outer diameterthan said first portion, said first portion frictionally engaging saidinner surface of said open end of said tube.

4. The container of claim 3 which:

said radial portion extending radially outward beyond first cylindericalportion to a radial distance less than the diameter of said outersurface of said tube, whereby said inner cylindrical surface of saidouter cap does not engage said rim of said inner cap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1904 Sievert 206--l6.6 6/1906Myers 20616.6- 9/1953 Lamb 73374 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

